Eyelash yarn, also known as fun fur yarn, is a type of specialty yarn that crafters often use to add a whimsical look to their projects. It has a thin core with small strands of fibers coming off the side that look a bit like eyelashes. When a project is made with this yarn, it has a soft and fuzzy appearance.
You can find fun fur yarn at any major craft store or yarn shop. The wide variety of colors available, including variegated and metallic accented yarns, make it a good choice for a variety of knitting and crocheting needs.
Eyelash yarn is relatively easy for beginning crafters to work with. It has poor stitch definition when knitted or crocheted, but this also helps to camouflage small errors in the project. Gauge is not crucial in most projects knitted with this type of specialty yarn, but you'll want to make sure the fabric is relatively tight when finished. When crocheting with eyelash yarn, you may find it easier to work with if you add a similar color of solid worsted weight yarn alongside it and work both strands at the same time.
The most common project to make with eyelash yarn is a knitted scarf that looks a bit like a feather boa. To make this project, you'll need approximately two balls of yarn (about 100 yards total), size 10 US knitting needles, and a crochet hook to finish off the ends of the project. Cast on 20 stitches, then work in stockinette stitch until you are almost out of yarn. Stockinette stitch is one of the most basic knitting stitches: knit one row, purl one row. Bind off and weave in the ends to finish the project.
After you've tried to knit a scarf with this yarn, you may find yourself searching for other fun projects that incorporate this specialty yarn. Headbands and hair scrunchies are popular items to make as gifts for young girls. Eyelash yarn also looks great on the brim of a knitted hat or as an accent for a crocheted handbag. However, since items knitted with eyelash yarn tend to have a rather bulky final appearance, this type of yarn is generally not recommended for sweaters or other garments.
Projects made with this type of yarn can generally be machine washed and dried. If necessary, dry cleaning is acceptable to remove stubborn stains. However, you should not try to bleach or iron any item made with eyelash yarn.